Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, 2018

During Advent, we are preparing for Christ’s coming; His coming will be a time when we are judged, and our eternal fate is determined. We can learn from the centurion how best to prepare: with humility and faith. With the centurion, we say to Christ at every Mass: “Lord, I am not worthy,” (Mt 8:8). We have been given this time that we might examine our lives for where we have acted unworthily, confess our sins, do penance for them, and to resolve to change our conduct. All these things should be done, in a spirit of humility, with the help of Scripture, the Church’s teachings, the Sacraments, and prayer. In doing this, we accept the Lord’s invitation to “climb the Lord’s mountain…that He may instruct us in His ways and we may walk in His paths,” (Is 2:3).

But often even this is not enough. We are limited creatures; as the psalmist says: “But who can discern his errors? Clear thou me from hidden faults,” (Ps 19:12 RSV). It is here that, with the centurion, we must have faith. We believe truly that Christ died for our sins, that God is merciful, and that He will forgive us if we but ask with a humble and contrite heart. For all the centurion’s humility, it was his faith which made Christ marvel, and it was through faith that Abraham was justified (Gen 15:6). Do likewise, that you may rejoice with the psalmist at Christ’s coming and “recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,” (Mt 8:11).